Distant Sentiment
by alance07
Summary: Sequel to The Reaction Factor. "...True love is when love is sacrificed." -David Leung. The story continues! What will happen next? Chapter 8 now up!
1. Prologue

Dear Mr. Toynbee,  
  
Upon your recent and abrupt absents from my medical facility you deprived me of a sincere opportunity to provide for you a device certain labs of mine have been hopeful to perfect. And at this moment it brings me sincere pride to announce the fact that my researchers have indeed done this task. When asking me whom I wanted to give the first prototype to I immediately knew that you would indeed benefit more from this device than anyone else that came to mind.  
What you must understand is that this device is only a prototype and it can indeed have moments of faltering, and although it is waterproof and extremely safe it might reveal a flaw or two during it's first two weeks of use. But if everything appears to be in working order by that date then feel free to keep this contraption as your own. If you must know it's called an image intruder. And I have a feeling it could be very your appearance.  
And on another note I discovered the real reason for your so sudden departure, and honestly although I think the action may have been rash given your physical condition I understand your actions completely and hope those same opinions won't keep you from missing further opportunities in the near future. Please know that I sincerely wish you the best of luck possible and earnestly hope you find whatever it is your looking for. Again, keep in mind that you have a place at my school if and when you need it and remember that not all things are as they seem.  
  
Best Wishes,  
Charles Xaiver 


	2. Place Settings

Sighs.  
  
Yes ladies and gentlemen the rumors are true I am indeed a great big loser who can't get enough of Toad. And as I was rereading my story I realized "Hey wait a minute! I killed off my Mortie!" So as you can see I devised an all new evil plan to bring the goodness that is Toad back into our lives. Please be patient with me here I'm trying to make my chapters longer and better...so updates might now be as frequent as I would like. Anyway, heres the first official chapter so I hope we all enjoy and...(that's right say it with me people): REVIEW, REVIEW, REVIEW!  
  
VXVXVX  
  
Too many things were wrong with the world today. Crime in the New York and Washington areas had increased by thirty-seven percent, public school's annual testing scores had gone down, public violence involving mutants and anti-mutant activists was at an all time high, but for one mutant the only thing that mattered; the only thing that was real wrong with the world:  
  
Was that he was still in it.  
  
He sighed and stared at the deformed scars that lined his hands and bare fingers. He examined the skinless tips carefully, wondering how he exactly lost his nails and began to admire the indent that lined his knuckles from days and night of hard work. He lifted his head and stared ruthless into the mirror. His features betrayed him once more and he had a brief but beautiful daydream about being the permanent image of the man he always wanted to be. He silently swallowed three of the yellow pills that lied on the rusty sink ledge.  
Pain killers were almost everything they were cracked up to be. He just wished they could cure one more piece of sorrow that profiled his mind day and night. He knew things were the way they were meant to be...yet still her face was the silhouette of every dream and every concept he could conjure.  
  
He missed her.  
  
There was no denying that.  
  
But his greed exceeded far deeper than that. Not only did he long to see her face, but more than anything else he wanted to feel her beneath his fingertips, to hear her voice when he awoke in the morning, feel the softness of her hair under his chin, hear her laugh at him in a pleasant way... The wishing just went on and on. He realized the pathetic nature of his longing, after all Xaiver had given him this great watch thing that gave him a different, almost normal image. He had plenty of opportunities to go out with the guys after the shop closed up for the night and hit the bars to fish for one nighters...but every female face he saw only somewhat reminded him of her and pulled him into the realization that she would never be his. The achievement of that thought sent him into a whirl of depression and mental exhaustion.  
As a result he found himself spending most evenings at the dismal place he considered his home. As simple as it was the one bedroom, one bathroom hub house didn't even belong to him. In reality it was rightfully owned under the old man named Benson who lived in the house above him. Benson as odd as he was had a generally decent opposition about him. Often he had heard him hollering through the thin walls, talking to no one in particular. The fact was that Benson was whacked out of his gourd, still he had the craved face of a demented warrior and charged decent rent so he was generally liked by all of his tenants.  
  
The sound of a machine turning on in the distance was the only sound coming from the bathroom of that dreary apartment. In reality it was a watch. And it was carefully placed on the wrist of the man standing the front of the dirty mirror. He sighed in turmoil as the image of a perfectly normal human being took his place. He left the room and grabbed the jumpsuit littered with dried grease and scum.  
  
He closed the final door behind him and stared at the gray sky that lined the morning sky. Faint sunlight scattered the crest of the outer city he was surrounded by. And he inhaled the morning air without hesitation, grabbing the near by rolled up newspaper of an unliked neighbor and began the short distance to the job he buried himself in to forget the face that frequented every vision of misery he adored. But he scolded himself, after all...it had been almost two years...  
  
VXVXVXVX  
  
Sounds of the phone echoed in her ears as it continued the vengeful act of pulling her out of a peaceful night's sleep. On about the seventh ring she swore mentally to the responsible voice in her head that told her she should pick it up. She arose with a certain uncomfortable nature and she soon realized that she was nearly sleeping upside down, and was sincerely mispositioned from her normal space. She glanced over at the cold, empty side of her bed before beginning the miscellaneous search for the phone.  
  
"Hello!" She answered with a frustrated groan as she finally found the phone on the unbearable fourteenth ring.  
  
"Did you read the paper?!" Called a overly excited voice on the other line. She smiled at the familiarity of his tone and decided that he was instantly forgiven. Still when she glanced at the clock and the demanding hour she also decided he wasn't exactly off the hook quite yet.  
  
"Why no my dear Michael! Considering the fact that it's only six A.M. And I worked double shifts at the hospital yesterday I haven't exactly made reading the paper my biggest propriety..."  
  
She could tell he realized the faultiness of his actions as he grew instantly silently. She sighed and wiped some of the sleep from her eyes. She let a little laugh loose.  
  
"It's OK." She said with a playful tone. "No. I haven't read the paper today. Anything good?" She could hear him sigh at her somewhat positive reaction.  
  
"Yeah," She could almost hear the smirk in his voice. "You..."  
  
"What do you mean?" She asked now standing barefoot on her misty patio, her eyes scanning the foggy atmosphere for the paper of information she desired. When she finally found her prize she nearly skipped back to the small door leading inside, eager to get back to the warmth that was her home. She placed the paper on the counter and quickly took off the rubber band that kept the facts she craved away.  
  
"Front page of the local section..." Said the happy male voice on the other side of the phone. She sighed and rolled her eyes. But that expression quickly changed when her eyes grew wide at the headline:  
  
"A Good Deed Never Goes Undone." Below was the well taken picture of her at one of the group homes she frequented with a eager and happy looking child kissing her on the cheek. A half a dozen kids of all races and ages laughed in the background, and the walls were splattered with color and pictures of drawings and painting from every age group.  
  
She forced her eyes to read every word that lied below the picture despite her enthusiastic attitude that soon threatened to take over.  
  
"In the photograph above local college student and promenade social worker Eva Johnson finds herself embraced by several grateful children from St. Andrews Group Home after she successfully completely the ongoing proposal to increase budgets involving child development and social service studies. In short this latest approved proposal will insure more healthful investments including more school and as the photograph clearly shows, more art supplies. Additionally Johnson has single handedly insured that foster care programs in the area are publicized and has organized fundraisers across the state to further provoke mental health education at county hospitals..."  
  
The article continued on, repeating some of her accomplishments, revealing information about some of her coworkers, quoting her professors. But the most interesting piece of information lied in the very last paragraph:  
  
"...And with her upcoming wedding to emergency room attendant Michael Keane, Eva Johnson has a lot coming up...And a lot of pretty pictures to look forward to in the near future."  
  
"Wow..." Eva breathed silently. "I can't believe this...where did this come from?" She said.  
  
"Joan and I arranged everything with the reporter. We thought you deserved a little regard with all the stuff you've been doing lately. I'm not sure where they got that last part though, I guess that was more Joan's doing..." He said that last part more to himself than anybody else. The sudden silence over the phone startled him for a minute and for a second he thought that maybe she was upset with him.  
  
"Eva? You there baby?"  
  
She smiled through misty eyes and bit her lower lip in silently devotion. "I love you Mike." They both smiled. And Eva looked at the clearing day and immediately decided it was going to be a beautiful one. 


	3. Forces at Work

Hey everybody glad to hear this fic doesn't suck so far! And as a result I've produced another chapter, nothing much to say about it...so just read, review, and enjoy!  
  
LostMuse13: No really! I didn't get the (for the love of god read and review my story) vibe from you!! Haha. Sorry I swear I will actually take the time to read your fic...and maybe review...but only if you stop leaving me those scary reviews! Just kidding! Everybody needs a physco reviewer every now and again!  
  
Whisky lullaby: (Being squished by your hugs and squeals of joy) Thanks for your kind comments!  
  
Leen713: always great to hear from you...I always look forward to your pleasant (and saner) reviews. Please keep them coming! I love hearing from you!  
  
XVXVXVXV  
  
There's something about losing your head inside a car that really seems to clear it up. It was like the combined scents of oil and rust just took over your senses, and without realizing it you became addicted to the task at hand: fixing the unidentified problem.  
  
Toad relived this routine on a daily basis. The small auto body shop known only in the area as "Dylan's" was almost a quaint building with about a half a dozen employees. Toad just happened to be one of those employees. The work was gritty but he without a doubt was one of the best mechanics Dylan had to offer and (despite his antisocial nature) no one could really argue with his expertise.  
  
He had been working there for well over a year and a half, but still he was the newest addition to the group so he often found himself being the butt of every practical joke that came within thought of his coworkers. He didn't mind it so much, if he didn't constantly remind himself that his "watch" needed to remain in place at all times he would of almost believe he belonged with the crowd. Often he laughed and joked with the best of them, and much to Dylan's disapproval even participated in the scheming of a few practical jokes himself. He was happy there. And even though he never sought to have any customer interaction himself, the small circle was probably the closest thing he had to "friends" since his naive years before the orphanage.  
  
Still, there were times when he felt just slightly left out from most interaction. Because despite all the jokes that littered across the pavement, the fact was that almost every guy there was a softy.  
  
Take for example Johnny: the dark-skinned rebel who often showed up late for his starting hour. He would make up excuses, throw out lines about not being able to get his latest squeeze out of his bed and for the most part everyone chuckled and laughed right along side of him. Never once had anyone actually revealed the all knowing truth about his high-school sweet heart and their three kids. The same applied for Phil, who would come by, one of his jumpsuits covered in dried oatmeal, bags placed firmly under his eyes proof of his son's "terrible two's phase"  
  
It seemed logical that when all knew each other somewhat well. Toad however went around only being known as "Mort", and kept any past, present, and future thoughts to himself. Being mysterious was just part of his personality to the guys, and he was grateful they accepted it as quickly as the concept sank in.  
  
Mort rolled out from under the gurney that held him. He took a deep breath of the air that filtered through his lungs and sighed. He lifted his neck slightly to take a look at the clock nearby. It was well into the evening hours now, and just about everybody had gone home in a hurry to avoid the storm that was supposedly on it's way.  
Everybody always complained about the inconvenience of hurricane season. Although the area he resided in rarely got hit heavy with serious storms, they did experience their fair share of rain and wind. Nothing more than a few lost shingles in damage mind you, still it was enough to occasionally flood the local creeks and streams and cause some annoyed behavior from communities.  
  
He remained still on the mobile gurney and sniffed the air thoughtfully. Yes, he decided it was going to rain...  
  
He smiled and traced a faint memory on the inside of his brain...a blissful blonde dancing in the shallow rain of fall, smiling at him from the distance... He shook himself suddenly and threw the red rag he held in his hands; rubbing the indents of his face with his stained fingers.  
  
...He couldn't go back. He knew he couldn't. Everyone thought he was dead...including her. Things had to stay that way. He briefly recalled the look of fear on her face during their last ordeal together...No, he couldn't risk her like that again. The first few months of his recovery had been slow and painful, physical therapy was a necessity and took every fiber of patience he had in him. The agony of the infected burns kept him awake at nights, along with nightmares of sincere prevision. But he had enemies and they couldn't hurt him that badly if she was alive...if she was OK.  
  
He arose from his spot and began his usual pace that he had become so accustomed to. He stopped at the sight of darkened skies from the windows above. He traced the webs of his fingers over the places of his shirt where the massive scars would lye. Reminding him that not all scars are meant to be healed.  
  
VXVXVX  
  
Rain.  
  
Eva could smell it in the air. In fact she could even smell the particular scent through the think windows of her car. She enjoyed the smell...it brought back pleasant memories. But she didn't have time to think about memories now.  
  
She looked at her mangled map with a clearly annoyed expression and sneered. Where in the hell was she anyway? Her eyes scanned the side of the road, desperate for the sight of road signs in the distance.  
  
There were none.  
  
It figures it would be a Friday night, right around the time she was getting ready to go home, had a dinner date with Michael, and was desperate for an evening to herself...but no instead it was nearly six o'clock when she got a call from her Agency director, Sheila, who absolutely insisted that she assist her in the custody proclaiming for a seven year old boy who neighbors had spotted being whipped, and handcuffed to the back end of a toilet for two days straight.  
  
How was she suppose to say, "no sorry Sheila, I have other plans..." ?  
  
She sighed in a frustrated nature at the memory. Remembering only the disappointed tone in Michael's voice when she had to cancel. And now as hunger pains filtered through her, she regretted not bring a snack on the road trip.  
  
The road continued on and drove on to the point of no where. She felt alone on the empty stretch of highway, and she instantly questioned her sense of direction.  
  
"Oh crap...now where in the hell is that turn..." She didn't get to finish her sentence however before a thick black smoke erupted from the jet of her car sending her engine sputtering and making other pathetic noises. Eva's eyes widened but she couldn't see much due to the darkness that fell more than an hour ago. She forced the disobedient wheel to the side and soon found herself slowing to an immediate stop, but without actually hitting the breaks.  
  
She rested her head on the wheel.  
  
"No, no, no, on!" She shouted at the car who was obviously not listening as it continued to remain still. Eva continued to remain seated and frowned deeply. She glanced over to the cell phone on the passenger side along with a resident phone book, and her stacks upon stacks of paperwork.  
  
XVXVXVXV  
  
As Mort entered the office he instantly could sense the isolated feeling that came with entering the shop at this kind of hour. He glanced at the clock, and it indeed confirmed that it had been an 16 hour day. But truth be told he didn't care much, and if there was anything else to do he would of gladly-  
  
He stopped dead in his tracks and paced back by about three steps.  
  
It wasn't anything important...  
  
Just the front page section of the Local newspaper... He grabbed the corners by their edges making up excuses in his head...it can't be her...can it?  
  
That face, those eyes! He knew that smile...he saw it every night in his dreams.  
  
That was Eva Johnson and as he read the article below he was convinced.  
  
He sat down in a near by chair never taking his eyes off the magnetic picture in front of him. My God she was beautiful. Her eyes were particularly closed but there was nothing by light in her face as she was being kissed on both cheeks by two different kids. She was a social worker, going to collage, doing some good in the world. He wasn't surprised. What he did finally notice was the unique layers in which her hair was cut, the soft tumble of her shoulders in the blouse she wore...  
  
Oh yeah, she was more than beautiful.  
  
But as he read on, the last line caught his eye.  
  
Engaged?  
  
She was engaged? He exhaled deeply as the article ended. He hadn't realized he was holding his breath, but suddenly there wasn't enough oxygen in the room even if he had been breathing properly. The room had grown dark, he couldn't swallow, his entrails stopped performing their natural duties, and every nerve in his body went numb for a split second...  
  
But then the phone rang.  
  
He probably hadn't even heard it the first time. In fact he knew he hadn't, because about twenty seconds later he heard the grumbling footsteps of Dylan. Mort recognized the sound of his jacket being put on as he answered.  
  
"What?" He nearly grumbled over the phone.  
  
Mort didn't hear anything else. He just feared the action of blinking, because she might disappear if he moved in anyway...  
  
"Hey! You in there or what?" Called Dylan as he flicked Mort upside the head before snapping his fingers in front of his face.  
  
"Wo! Mort! I need a favor..."  
  
"What?" Asked Mort in his thick British accent, not used to being that irritable with his boss but he was angry for being disrupted by his employer. He glanced at Dylan from the corner of his eye, he looked as though he was about to say something, but a tiered visual hit him and Toad saw an instant sleepiness in his eyes.  
  
"Some piece of crap car stuck out on I-65, need someone out there with the toe so we can have a look at it. With the storm and all...hey you alright?"  
  
Toad realized the dreamy look that must of remained on his face. He managed a smile and put down the paper with a shaky hand.  
  
"Yeah...I'll get it..."  
  
VXVXVX  
  
And what comes next???? Stay tuned to find out! 


	4. Second dance in the Rain

Hey guys! How are my beloved fans and reviewers? Good? Yes...good? Good! Now It's come to my attention that some of my fans are reading...but not reviewing! Can you believe it?! It's a freaken conspiracy!  
  
OK sorry...calms down  
  
Please review...I'm a greedy little fanfiction writer you can't get enough feedback from my readers!  
  
VXVXVX  
  
The thick wool jack was without a doubt not good enough to keep Eva's bones warm. In fact as she leaned against her broken car she shivered. Rolling her eyes and sighed in frustration and proceeded to twitch her legs in an attempt to keep them warm. She lifted the sleeve of the jacket and took yet another look at her watch.  
  
Great. She thought. Just great! This guy was suppose to be here a half in hour ago! I bet this auto body place is one of those sham places...she sighed again and rolled her eyes. Eva opened the car door and looked once again for her phone. Maybe she could call another place...then again what kind of auto body shop was open this time of the night?  
  
She grabbed her phone and closed the door behind her. The blacklight was some what conformable and gave her a little light on the dark deserted highway. But the light didn't last for long before a unpleasant sign gave way.  
  
LOW BATTERY.  
  
Crap.  
  
Eva yelped and threw the phone back in the car. Finally she rustled the tussled hair that blew in the insocstant wind. And as she looked up to the starless sky she felt a small cool droplet of water on the side of her face.  
  
Just great...  
  
VXVXVX  
  
Mort continued on the lonely highway, only tp be embraced by the sudden downpour of rain. The skies open up to him and shared their furry as the rain began to collide with the windshield he was once again reminded of Eva. What would he have given to just see her smile...to hear her laugh with his own two ears...  
  
He shook his head. No. He mentally yelled at himself, Dylan needed him to pick up this car and take it back to the shop. Truth be told he was hoping there was something seriously wrong with it, just so he could stay and fix it instead of returning to his dismal home. And as the sight of a plain car came into his view, he knew he would be lucky enough to have such an opportunity. But...oh wait. There was the driver...he sighed deciding that he really didn't want to have to give somebody a ride right now. But as the figure of the driver and the car came closer he knew he could end up doing the compassionate thing anyway.  
  
He drove along side of the car and stopped. The figure of the driver came closer. She was clearly trying to shield herself from the rain but that didn't stop it from getting to her anyway. However, she continued to hold a jacket over her head and face to avoid the harsh droplets. He rolled his eyes and rolled down the window. She ran up to it greedily and proceeded to instruct the conversation:  
  
"Hey! A little help?" She called out to him with annoyance clear in her tone.  
  
He held a finger to her command and threw up his hood repeating to himself over and over again that his "watch" was water proof. About the same time he got out of the truck and slammed his door, she slammed her's shut. He turned, annoyed she would take such liberities. But he felt the water soak through his jacket and decided he could be annoyed later. So he just watched the interior light of the car go out, and watch her shadow out of the corner of his eye. There was no mistaking her body posision: She was watching him.  
  
The warm inside of the truck was a comforting feeling as she removed the jacket from the top of her head and rubbed her hand together in an effort to get warm. She tousled her damp hair to the side, noticing just how mangled the locks were. At this point it didn't really matter, she was cold, wet, and tiered. The only thing she wanted to do at this point was go home and sleep, but just as she was leaning her head against the soft cushioning of the passenger seat she noticed the mechanic for the first time.  
She wrinkled her forehead in confusion, his shape seemed familiar somehow. The movement of his hands as he lifted her car to his even seemed regonizinable. She closed her eyes and shook her head.  
  
She was tiered.  
  
...nothing more.  
  
She turned away from the helpful stranger and focused on the waterfall of rain echoed by the windshield. The rain had slowed slightly, but it still continued at a health pace and he dark droplets of water reflected her eyes in the windshield as she leaned in closer. But suddenly the familiar sound of footsteps found her ears, and she knew by the position of her car that they were ready to go. She stiffened and remained still as she heard the sound of the mechanic's steps enter the vehicle. She attempted to get a closer look at his face, but it was well hidden under several layers of clothing. Before she had time to ask him anything he had started the truck and proceeded to turn around.  
  
"Where you headed?" He asked gruffly. She didn't respond at first, instead she constricted on the distant features of him voice. It seemed masked somehow, like he had a cold or something because his words didn't fit into each other like they should of.  
  
"Where are you headed?" He asked his voice loaded this time with an annoyed tone.  
  
"Um..." Where was she going? When he found out she couldn't make it Michael had decided to pull some extra hours at the hospital, and the thought of returning to her apartment to sleep seemed almost frivuious...but again her decision was made for her when a light rumbling noise erupted from her stomach reminding her just how empty it was.  
  
"Is there a decent place to eat around here...?" She asked with a quiet tone, almost feeling shy at the question she gave.  
  
He simply nodded in return, and continued on the drive. Eva turned her face towards the window and stayed there, unaware of the pair of eyes glancing on her every second they got.  
  
VXVXVX  
  
Toad could feel the rusty nail beneath his fingers and instantly regretted not wearing a pair of gloves. Still, when he got into the car he instantly felt warmed. But he was immediately startled by the appearance of his passenger. The room was still dark and therefore the face of his passenger was unknown but once again he was reminded of the fact she was a female because a pleasant scent flowed through his nostrils making it difficult to speak and damn near impossible to concentrate properly on the task of driving. She had asked if there was a decent place to eat around there. But unfortunately as he had learned in the past there really wasn't. Still, there was one diner nearby that might Suffice as "decent" and luckily in was in the same general direction he was headed in so it wouldn't be too much of an inconvenience.  
  
Her overpowering scent made it difficult to focus on anything other than it. She seemed familiar somehow, and he couldn't quite put his finger on it but he sensed that he knew her somehow. He continued to stare at her dark figure by his side until her voice startled him from his thoughts.  
  
"I'm kind of surprised you guys were open...with the storm and everything...Well I thought I'd never get out of there." She glanced over at him then and without warning a pair of light blue eyes revealed themselves in the reflection of the windshield. They had a slight glaze to them, almost a green tint to the outlines. And her lengthy eyelashes blinked slowly as if willing him to respond.  
  
His hands tightened on the wheel and suddenly he found himself once again lacking breath. He felt his chest heave and bare the lacking oxygen, everything grew darker expect for her bright eyes that were now staring at him with immense confusion.  
  
"Are you OK?" She asked almost disgusted with his response at her identify.  
  
"Um...Um...." He choked the words and as a result they ended up sounding strangled. Unaware of what to do he refused to look at her, so he twisted his head to the side and welded his neck to the seat belt ledge.  
  
The concern on her face was evident now and she seemed confused at what to do. "Oh my god! Um...are you OK? Do you have asthma or something?"  
  
He didn't respond for fear she would recognize his voice, not only that but he felt as though his throat was swelling shut and he doubted any words would come from him anyway.  
  
"Maybe you should pull over?" She asked as he slowed down, noticing the way he was barely keeping his eyes on the road.  
  
"Here, here! I'll take the wheel OK?" She asked very slowly trying to keep him from panicking if he did indeed have a medical condition. She pulled off to the side and made sure they were completely out of the way before she returned to her questioning. His face was still turned away, and his hood was up once again although she wondered when he had put it back up and why.  
  
She sat back in her seat suddenly feeling uncomfortable in the small truck. But he continued to remain silent and it soon forced her to worry about something even more serious.  
  
"Hey, seriously are you OK?" She leaned over and placed a hand on his shoulder, but her touch only made him flinch more and she retracted her hand immediately but with the swift movement of shooing her away his overly large hood had fallen off and because the vehicle had lighting control on it the internal lights were back on and he froze when he realized he was completely exposed.  
  
He nearly felt his heart explode when they turned towards each other and she gasped.  
  
VXVXVX  
  
Oh what now!! Oh yeah that's right I am so gonna leave you guys here....(evil laugh) 


	5. Pie Poetry

Wow you guys 14 reviews with only 4 chapters?! I feel so special (gives out hugs and pictures of Ray Park to everyone) Thank you all so very very much!  
  
Miss Rainstorm: Glad to hear from you again! You know a little more frequent reviews would do my heart some good (hint, hint)  
  
Lehcar Sundance: Always wonderful to pick up new readers, thanks for the positive feedback! And yes, to answer your question Mort is suppose to look like Ray Park minus the custome.  
  
Guin: Where have you been?! I've missed your comments but I'm so happy your back with me!  
  
And I love all the rest of you who took the time to threaten me with my life if I didn't update as soon as possible...so sweet, (wipes away tear) Anyway I think you'll all enjoy this chapter. I'll update again as soon as possible!  
  
VXVXVX  
  
"What?" He asked the annoyance evident in his voice.  
  
"Uh...nothing. It's just that scar on the side of your face there kind of startled me...sorry... It was rude of me."  
  
"Oh right." Mort flinched away and traced the familiar scar along the side of his face, realizing that it could probably to a little shocking to anyone who hadn't seen it before. Distracted by this thought he didn't really notice the way she was staring at him, her brow wrinkled in concentration  
  
"Have we met before?" She asked finally. Her confusion only enlightened by his familiar voice. The hesitation before his answer was obvious but he did his best to not make it as clear.  
  
"No...don't think so." He began to remind himself over and over again to breath, although his request wasn't activated and he found himself growing dizzy with his panic. So he placed his hands on his head and rested his elbows on the wheel tentatively.  
  
Unsure of what to do Eva bit her lip and placed a small hand on his shoulder. "Hey...it's OK, just take deep breaths..."  
  
She never had the opportunity to finish her sentence however before Mort flinched away to start the car again. He took at breath to steady himself and forced his more terroristic side to take over.  
  
"Asthma you know...gets to me sometimes...." He covered his voice and played his shaken mood off lightly as though nothing but a breathing condition was bothering him. And so they continued on driving, Eva staring straight ahead and stiff, Mortimer doing the same.  
  
They continued to drive on, the blank road mocking Mort's mind as they grew further apart.  
  
She didn't recognize me...she didn't recognize me. He repeated it over and over in his mind until he felt as though his brain was about to explode. And suddenly he needed to hear her voice again, to be so close to her yet so far away at the same time was a greater torture that he ever thought imaginable...so finally he broke the barrier of silence that shielded him with torment.  
  
"Didn't I see you in the paper this morning...?" He asked with a gruff sound. She turned to him clearly startled and twilled her thumbs deep in her own thought.  
  
"Oh..." She smiled slightly and pushed a piece of hair back behind her ear. "Yeah." She refused to look at him and instead kept her head down looking toward her lap that was still soaked with the skies shower. Mort took a brief moment to notice that she had recently bitten away most of the actual nail and she had clearly had to file away the rest.  
He smiled at the familiar nervous habit as he looked down to his own hands.  
  
The lights of a small town nearby came up in the distance and he instantly grew cold and hard at the thought of her leaving his sight. What was he doing? He wanted to talk to her, tell her how sorry he was for all pain he caused her, feel her in his arms...dance with her in the rain.  
  
But the word he had dreaded to think about entered his mind.  
  
Engaged.  
  
She was engaged now. She was arranged to be married to some guy she probably didn't even know...some loser that was probably just using her for some reason or another. He found himself gripping the wheel tighter with each thought. Still, he forced the anger into the back of his mind, he didn't want to think about it now. He simply wanted to enjoy these last moments because they were probably the only ones he would ever get with her again.  
He took the final turn into the center of the strip where the diner of his choice lay. This was it, he thought. She was going to walk out that door, get in that diner, probably get picked up by her fiancé... he was going to drive away, and she would never even know who he was, or how much he needed her.  
  
He slowed down despite his urge to drive past and keep her with him forever. He pulled the break and they sat in silence for less than a moment more before he somehow found his voice again.  
  
"Pretty good grub in there." He stated pointing to the front door. "My boss got your number so he'll call you when the car's done..." He looked away when she glanced at him for what was to be the last time, she tilted her head slightly and squinted as though she was thinking intently about something. He noticed her eyes changing there direction from him to the clock on the dashboard.  
  
"So are you guys open 24/7 or do you have time to stop for something to eat?"  
  
"Huh?" Her voice had startled him and he wasn't quite prepared to give anything for an answer. But she just smiled and shook her head as though the exhaustion she held was being let out with his ignorance.  
  
"You got a name?" She tried again.  
  
Name. Did he have a name? Why was she asking his name? What was he suppose to tell her?  
  
"Mortimer." He said under his breath. "M-Mort." He decided after a second longer that his hesitation was worth seeing the small that lifted her day worn face.  
  
"Well Mort," She said pointing a thumb in the direction of the diner. "You hungry?"  
  
VXVXVX  
  
She shouldn't be here. No she definitely should not be here with this mechanic she just met less than an hour ago, talking and sharing jokes over coffee and warm slices of pie. It was absolutely insane that she even invited him to eat with her after only knowing him for a series of minutes, but still there was something familiar about him. Something she couldn't quite put her finger on that made him seem like a conformable person, someone modest yet confident, and without knowing it she willing allowed to take an instant liking to him.  
  
"...I don't know. I mean I have nothing against pumpkin pie, theres just something apple that just seems so much more American." He said still conscious of his accent. Mort still couldn't conceive how they had lost their lame conversation and ended up debating about the most favorable pie types. But despite the lucid topic of conversation it was a relative enjoyable atmosphere, and although the small diner reeked of cigarette smoke, and was fueled with aggravated truckers, and raunchy waitresses they table they occupied radiated with laugher and as a result received snickers and questioning glances from people at the counter.  
  
"Well yeah, but with it being fall and everything don't you think Pumpkin is more appropriate?" She lifted another forkful into her mouth and smiled at him as he shook his head.  
  
"I didn't know desert could be appropriate or inappropriate. Do you always eat pastry according to the seasons?" He replied with a playful grin that made a warmth soar through her from her stomach to the nails of her toes. She dropped her smile at the sensation and bit her lip slightly, suddenly feeling bashful.  
  
"I guess..." She stuttered on her words and felt the blood rush to her cheeks at the full mouth of teeth he showed her with his smile. She tried to recompose herself and think of something more clever to say but the sound of a raunchy voice pricked her ears are ridded the place without opportunity.  
  
"Hey lucy! Turn em' TV Up! They talkin' about those damned mutants again!" Shouted the extremely loud and large flannel wearing man on the other side of the floor. The waitress sitting behind the counter rolled her eyes and shifted her weight of her hips but complied and reached up to turn the television louder. The movement caught Mort's attention and Eva's as well in turn they both looked at each other slightly before turning to the Lady Newscaster who seemed extremely preoccupied with the task at hand of controlling her microphone in the breezy weather.  
  
... "And in other news today two children were shot when a mutant rally went terribly tragic at Track ford Park in Washington. The oldest child, Rebecca Orvendal age 15 was shot in the lower torso and killed instantly. The younger child however, Danielle Orvendal age 9 was injured, however not quite as severe The girls were sisters and on their way home from school when arguments from the park's gates became violent and resulted in their fallout. In a repeated series of violent acts contributed by the mutant community the governor has issued a new document declaring that every rally, protest, or meeting has signed permission from the local mayor and special documents..."  
  
Someone had changed the channel to a football game by that point and attention had revolved else where. Eva's head turned back around slowly at the sound of Mort sighing loudly into his coffee mug.  
  
"It seems like it never ends does it?" She said softly more to herself than to her companion. He nodded stiffly but continued to keep his eyes downward.  
  
"I just don't get it. After all the suffering and agony nothing has changed. You would of thought we've of learned our lesson by now." He leaned back into his chair and felt the crease of the hinges on his back.  
  
"Over two-thousand years of evolution and..." He sighed deeply and allowed a sad and dreadful look to take over his face.  
  
"...we haven't evolved into anything." Sincerely deep in his thoughts he didn't notice the understanding and remorseful face that sat across from him. And unaware of anything else to do she reached her hand over the sticky table and placed it over his. This action made him jump slightly, and lift his face. He felt his eyes widen and he couldn't do anything but look into her's as they stared sadly back at her. Her voice was soft and tender when she replied:  
  
"Maybe...maybe we just need more time to find the answers we're looking for." 


	6. Secondhand Mistakes

Attention my sincerely impatient readers: I'm spitting out updates as fast as I can here people alright!! Geez! You guys really know how to make a girl feel wanted and fearing for her life at the same time don't ya?! Anyway, you guys know I love Mort right...? Right? OK good, because I intend to spoon feed him just a wee more anguish here...(please don't hurt me)  
  
Whisky lullaby: Well well! Obviously no one ever washout out your mouth with soap when you were growing up! Honestly, such language Haha No I'm just kiddin' you know I love to hear your weekly rants and reviews  
  
Lady-Snape7: Yes my dear there is such a thing as pumpkin pie. (Don't eat my mother's however you'll regret it for a week)  
  
Victoria Wolf: Yeah...you might want to get a tissue before you read this chapter...  
  
Guin: Idea's for this story are constantly running through this small brain of mine, so if the (what you thought was going to happen) plot changes...don't feel left out because I confuse everybody!  
  
Lehcar Sundance: I'm afraid I can't comply with your request...or can I... (evil laugh)  
  
And since everyone seems to have responded well to my theory of adding pie...I might have to do it again...  
  
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The quaint dead-end street that lingered in it's quiet and humble nature was quickly disturbed by the sound of a tow truck passing through it's clutches. But as the truck slowed down in front of a desolate, small home with no porch light on to guide it's own the truck made itself known with the sudden screech of it's breaks which admitted small giggles from it's residents inside.  
  
"Thanks for the ride and everything Mort. I know it was out of your way..." Her sentence of gratitude was disrupted by a hand silencing her.  
  
Mort shook his head and grinned. "Hey, like I said luv it was no problem I had to take care of some things around here anyway..." He stopped himself short and realized his potential fatal mistake of forgetting to cover up his voice.  
  
"What did you say?" Asked Eva as she stared at him with almost a panic related interest in her voice, she turned to him and he knew her eyes were widened with the possibility...  
  
"No problem." He spat out with a deceitful voice that burned his tongue and made him feel more disgust then ever before.  
  
Eva shook her head in disbelief and ran her small fingers though her strangled blond locks. She smiled slightly and turned to open the door, and the sudden gust of wind that hit her face was nearly enough to knock her over, but inside Mort was only thinking of how graceful she could be...even in bad weather.  
  
"Right, well thanks again. You'll call me when the car is ready right?" She said gesturing to the broken vehicle that had followed them that evening.  
  
"Uh- yeah, my boss got your number. It-it shouldn't be more than a day or two." He said stuttering the last of his words. But she only gave him a half-smile and shut the door but he could roughly hear her as she walked to the porch...she mouthed the word: "Bye" then disappeared through the cartel colored door.  
  
Mort watched her form disappear as she walked from room to room turning on lights and closing curtains. But moments later he realized he was still sitting in front of her house and it might not be the best impression to give away. So he sighed deeply in his chest and sadly put the truck in reverse, exiting the street with a solemn expression obvious on his face.  
  
"Bye..."  
  
His drive home had seemed pointless and long. After doping her car off at the now completely deserted shop, he had taken his time to get back to the dull place he called his home. He descended the concrete steps carefully...but apparently not carefully enough.  
  
"Oh bloody hell...!" He call out to the night sky as his foot sternly collided with the cracked stairwell and he instantly tripped over himself and nearly fell. Luckily for him you don't train in martial arts for over 10 years and not have anything to show for it, as a result he instantly landed in a perfected pose, jumping over the next set of steps and landing with an plentiful grace he had almost forgotten he had. He closed his eyes and breathed deeply, not noticing the approaching man behind him.  
  
"...Damn kids always making trouble at these late hours." Said the distorted voice behind him.  
  
Mort sighed with frustration and dropped his arms and head. "And a good evening to you too Mr. Benson!" Mort said with the sarcastic nature we all know and love.  
  
The old man ignored this greeting and continued to walk past Mort, mumbling something Mort couldn't quite here. But he just rolled his eyes and continued on his way, hoping the landlord hadn't seen anything out of the ordinary with his 9 foot jump up the stairs.  
  
Quickly, Mort decided he was too tired to worry about such ferocious things as began heading in the direction of his place but the old man stopped dead in his tracks and sprinted up to Mort with more speed than he realized the old man was capable of.  
  
"Don't let your engel lose the Harfe!" Shouted Benson as he grabbed Mort by the shoulders. And despite the small man's size he had a strong grip. Mort attempted to shake off the old fool but to no avail he continued to shout:  
  
"Ihr Schatz! Diese Frau! Lassen Sie sie nicht die Harfe verlieren! Sie muß mit der Harfe ständig bleiben!" The crazed old man seemed panicked and Mort could of sworn he saw tears brimming in the senile man's face. So it was for this reason only that Mort was gentle in getting away from Benson, he retreated to his room listening to the demented ravings of a crazed German floating behind him...  
  
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Darkness echoed upon the lonely neighborhood that was all but abandoned except for the indecisive females on the street corners looking to sell themselves for some illegal substance they couldn't live without. And the streetlights proved that it was indeed a late hour and that the sidewalks were desperate for re-paving. Building after building lined themselves up against the sternly set background and behind on particular building (that was decorated with broken windows and moldy bricks) Stood a parked jeep, and on the inside the shaky owner waited for his approaching fate. He shook his hands together desperate to keep them from quivering anymore than they already were. And he anxiously breathed comforting words to himself in hopes that they were true.  
  
A part of him however, knew they would not be.  
  
So he continued to ramble out loud to himself, wishing that he were anywhere but there and constantly checking his watch as though it were a shroud. His eyes widened in horror as he looked to the review mirror and saw a familiar car pull up behind him. He fearfully watched the three men exit the vehicle and approach his own. The two largest stood in the back of the shortest and appeared to be listening to something he was saying. The jeep's owner carefully and slowly opened his door and was just about to step onto the dusty pavement when he received a hard kick in the face that made him feel as though his entire jaw had just popped out of the socket.  
  
The largest of the three men continued to attack him as he fell to the pavement, streaks of blood smearing the nearby trash cans and garbage that littered the walkway. The men continued to laugh and talk amongst themselves as though what they were doing was the most natural thing in the world. But after some minutes later the shortest (and roundest) man who appeared to be the leader of the small group stopped them by simply raising a hand.  
He walked nearby the owner of the jeep, whom was now choking on his own blood and who clutched at his midsection as though his organs were exploding. The short man knelt down to the injured one and stated as plainly as day:  
  
"...We don't like delays Mr. Keane . So as you may have been able to tell...your request for an extension on your payment has been denied... And if I don't get my money by Friday...I'll mail some of your appendages to that pretty, little, fiancee of yours I read about in the paper..."  
  
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OK, serious if you want to keep this plot something similar to a surprise you won't have the German text translated! Repeat: Do not have the German text translated! It will ruin my whole secret evil plan! 


	7. Night Wanders

Howdy there folks so incredibly sorry about the late update, school has been driving me up the wall! Anyway, please keep your patience because I'm going away for a few days so another update might take a little while... (tries to avoid the violent blows...)  
  
ENJOY!  
  
VXVXVXVX  
  
The sky was littered with an array of colors. Reds, yellows, pinks, blues, and purple radiated in whirlwinds across the horizon. As a result the mountains nearby that rested on the earth with a confident foundation appeared to be discolored and enchanted. The fields that lied beneath them were speckled with wildflowers of all breeds that swayed back and forth at the breeze's gentle touch.  
  
He saw her there.  
  
Her back was turned but he knew it was her. Her blonde hair that was brushed out to her shoulders with gentle curls blew in the same direction as the wildflowers that she was now bending down slightly to graze with her fingertips. The hem of her white gown flustered out just beyond her knees, and it's strapless curve allowed the firm shape of her shoulder blades to ponder out just barely enough to attract the silky material. He could tell she knew that he was there, but she was just taunting him...teasing him until he finally came close enough to embrace her. He could feel the corners of his mouth turn up at the thought of her form in his arms. Her back was still turned, but he could see the shadow of her eyelashes on the smooth petals that she now held in her hand.  
  
He was so close.  
  
He just had to reach out to her. To know she was real and that everything wrong with the world would simply go when they were finally together. He placed his feet in front of each other and as he came closer he could feel the warmth of the air increasing and becoming less damp. He was just behind her now...she was so close he could touch her if he reached out far enough... But the air became more than just warm. In fact the still nature of the air lingered around them and without warning the wildflowers burst into flame! Sending everything in their path blazing with a golden shroud.  
She stood between the mountains, unmoving. Didn't she know she was in danger? Wasn't she aware of the horrid pain that awaited her? He had to warn her! He began to call out to her! Screaming her name and yelling to anything that would listen to his desperate pleas to shoo her away. But still it was obvious she couldn't hear him because she remained still, her back facing him, her face unseen to him and everything else in his direction. The fire continued to grow and shelter everything in the field including her and the gown she impaled. But the silence that had echoed around his cries was interrupted by the fierce screaming and cries of the only victim to belong to the fire.  
  
He listened to her die.  
  
Unable to move and incapable of responding to any action he remained and watched as the flesh that he once dreamed of kissing melted onto the dying and browning ground. Her hair lost it's color and sparked off and finally burned off entirely. Then and only then did she turn to him...her face peeling tissue and remaining muscle and bone falling away to the massive heat. The disgusting image that lay before him made his stomach churn and ache and he felt tears spring at his eyes as he saw her pupils fall from their sockets and her features slowly melt away and dissolved into ash...  
  
"No!" Mort screamed out into the solid night that echoed in every pore of the room around him. The only thing now available now to his senses was the sound of his own heaving breath and the mocking chirp of animals outside his window. He shifted from side to side feeling his sheets beneath his crinkled hands before he realized that he had simply had a nightmare.  
  
He put his head in his hands and commanded his breath to calm itself. It was just a dream, just a dream... He repeated that saying over and over in his mind but the statement didn't help. Instead he closed his eyes in an effect to soothe himself but the only thing he saw was Eva and he scalding flesh.  
He shook his head some more. He had to get to her, had to make sure she was all right! But after all the only thing he had was a dream after all... He threw himself out of his sweat soaked bed and began the process of lacing but his boots before he grabbed a somewhat clean T-shirt from the chair in the corner and grabbed his keys mumbling something similar to a prayer in his head...hoping it was only a disturbing dream.  
  
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Eva clung the thin quilt to her chest and rolled to her opposite side of her bed. But several seconds after the shift she opened her eyes, instantly aware that her feeling of no longer being alone wasn't just her imagination. So she used the base of her arms to lift herself up over the sheets and quilt that shielded her body and gasped instantly looking toward the door of her room that was slowly beginning to open.  
She felt her breath catch in her chest and an intense fear began running through her blood...until the form of her person opening the door was revealed.  
  
"Michael is that you?"  
  
The reply to her question was the sudden shutting on of a nearby lamp and the distorted grunt of Michael himself. Eva gasped as her eyes adjusted to the light and she found herself covering her mouth with her hand and jumping out of her bed at the sight of the intense injuries that lye on Michael's body.  
  
"Oh my god Michael what happened?!"  
  
Eva noticed the limp in Michael's step as he nearly fell away to the rocking chair that lingered in the corner of the room. She kneeled against the floor next to him and gently rested a palm on his shoulder. He remained silent however and tossed himself back and forth slightly as though he was desperate to calm himself.  
  
"Michael? Mikey? Who did this to you Michael? Please...baby talk to me."  
  
"Muggers...on the way home from rounds tonight...just a couple of kids...they didn't like the lack of cash I was caring..." He began stuttering on his words by then and the widened look of horror and fear was evident in his fianc's face.  
  
"Oh you poor thing...we have to call the police." Eva attempted to reach for the phone but she found that her hand was stopped by Michael's endearing fist.  
  
"No!" He shouted. "It's...it's not that big of a deal Eva..." He stuttered once again and at the questing look on Eva face he decided that his answer needed more padding.  
  
"It's just that...well I really don't think those kids knew what they were getting themselves into...and if we bring the authorities into this...well they might get in more trouble than necessary." Eva paused in her action but then her face softened and she retracted her hand, kneeling down once more to meet his tiered gaze.  
  
"OK...but just promise me you'll stay here tonight, I don't want you driving home..." Eva slowly rested the back of her hand on Michael's forehead. "Besides, you might have a concussion."  
Her patient simply nodded in response and once again rested his head in his shaking hands.  
Meanwhile Eva sighed heavily and retreated to the kitchen to obtain an ice pack and a first aid kit. But as she reached the end of her hallway a feeling of uneasiness hit the pit of her stomach. Something wasn't quite right with Michael's story. She knew he was lying...well maybe not lying entirely but not tell the "whole" truth. Either way she felt uncomfortable not knowing what had happened. After all he did have all kind of bumps and bruises and a few scrapes on his face... She remembered the way his hands shook, and the root his always took when he had to work mid nights at the hospital it wasn't rough neightboorhood...damn her original thoughts were right.  
  
He did lie.  
  
Eva angrily shut the freezer door and rested her hand on her hip breathing heavily into her chest. Who did he think he was anyway? After all they were suppose to be planning their wedding and spending the rest of their lives together! How he possibly not trust her enough to tell her about something "clearly" important that had happened?! She felt the rage beginning to raise her blood pressure and decided that a lecture and a telling off session was definitely in order.  
She stormed down the hallway silently swearing to herself about the late hour she now realized it was...wishing he had never woke her up and that she was still soundly resting in the peacefully word of her slumber.  
  
Some kind of sound echoed in the back of her mind. She couldn't quite make it out...but it sounded like someone was...on the roof? This night just kept getting stranger and stranger by the minute. Still, Eva shrugged off the noise and continued on the journey back to her room, but upon returning she instantly realized that Michael was no longer resting calming in the rocking chair but was instead sleeping sounded in the center of her bed. She rolled her eyes and sighed, pushing a strand of hair away from her face.  
  
"Great" She muttered.  
  
"Just great..."  
  
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OK another picture of Ray Park to anyone who can guess what kind of trouble Michael is in...go ahead and guess you know you want to! 


	8. Possible Realities

Hello all you extremely patient people! Thank you for waiting for this most recent chapter! There is absolutely no excuse for why this is so late...(but if it makes any of you feel better I made the honor roll the semester...giggle) Hope you enjoy this latest chapter and as usual I expect a review from everyone who's reading! Thanks a bunch and enjoy!

VXVXVXV

The continuing sound of a ringing phone echoed thoughout her mind; she chose to ignore the irrupting noise and instead of attempting the action of picking it up and forcing a cheery greeting she planted her sore feet firmly on her cluttered desk and folded her hands on the cotton top that lined her midsection. She sighed deeply and closed her eyes instantly aware of the warn-out feeling that came with the memory of the night before...

VXVXVX

"Damn him..." She muttered to herself as she sat down near the damp corner of the fireplace. Although her anger had less than resolved itself she still pitted Michael and the night he had encountered. And for whatever reason she couldn't quite explain she almost felt herself feeling rejected from the lack of knowledge he gave her. They had known each other since her softmore year of college and still he was unwilling to share information with her? Their relationship hadn't been that way...

They had met simply enough at a party. Eva recalled the way Jainy had introduced them and although Eva hadn't been romantically interested in Michael at the time she was willing to humor her alcoholic induced friend and agreered to accompany him on a few movie dates simply for the hell of it. It turned out they had quite a few facts in common: their parents knew each other well enough to be called friends, they enjoyed the same types of movies, and was obviously attending the same college and taking similar classes to achieve their degrees. The fact was that the relationship was effective at the time and she had steadily grown to love Michael for the generous and affectionate person she had known him to be. She smiled as the faint memories of how he proposed to her in the method of the good old-fashioned hide the ring in the desert at the fancy restaurant thing...

Eva curled her legs around herself and felt a wave of self-pity hit her hard in the face backing her into the dimension of question including the one of ultimate desire: does he trust me like he's suppose to? The sound of Michael snoring interrupted her thoughts. Maybe she was overacting? Maybe she was over thinking the entire situation too much? Oh hell! Maybe he wasn't lying after all, he really could of come across a few kids who were desperate for some cash...

A distant noise from the outdoor flew of her fireplace interrupted her thoughts. She looked up briefly but before her neck was even stretched completely she turned away again deciding that it was more than likely just a bat or some other nocturnal animal with wings who was searching for the warmth of a brick shelter. The thought that it was still the middle of the night came back to her and she realized that she still had to get up in the morning to get up for work (even if she was having personal problems) So she arose hearing the crack of her legs as her knees locked and jointed together again, and she walked backed down the hall now looking forward to the warm bed she called her own but the familiar noise of the fireplace seemed to follow her as she moved. Bats don't make that much noise, she decided and she headed toward the window her curiosity now getting the best of her from every angle. A gust of wind accompanied as the strict sound of a thump entered her ears and she instantly knew that the night was going to get a hell of a lot longer before her head met the soft flannel of her pillow case.

Oh what's the matter with me it's probably just some kind of animal. She thought wisely to herself as she closed her eyes in an attempt to rid herself of an oncoming headache. She failed however and when another familiar noise entered her ear way she just knew she had to at least figure out what kind of animal it was before she could rest soundly. She also decided that looking up the dark chimney wasn't going to be the best approach at this task, so she approached the bay window resting on the other side of the room instead. She corned it slightly before peering her head on a severe right angle where she hoped to get a glance at something. Unfortunately her results were unsuccessful. So she once again repositioned herself at a different angle to the screen door in the northeast corner of the room. With one quick motion she allowed her eyes to travel upward past the rusted gutters and cluttered leaves to a unmoving figure standing on the side of her roof. She squinted her eyes in an attempt to make out what it was but to little avail she couldn't respect it out as anything and was ready to retreat back in the house when she noticed a small movement in the figure. She squinted her eyes further and it almost appeared as though the figure was staring back at her...No that couldn't be right...it was just a raccoon or something right?

The stinging headlights of a car began it's journey down her street and Eva immediately recognized the car as a neighbors who worked the extremely late shift at a nearby factory. But with the sudden downpour of light on her house the creature was obviously startled and made a sudden and drastic move as it jumped some odd feet in the air and tumbled ungracefully backward landing with another thump as it seemly fell to the ground. Eva would have gasped it she hadn't been so UN-surprised by the driver's incoming but what bothered her the most was the particular noise the creature made as it fell to the ground, because she could of sworn in the back of her mind that she heard some profanity being spoken and if she didn't know any better she would have said that creature was shaped more like a human than anything else. She wrapped her arms around herself defensively in an attempt to shake the paranoia that had just thwarted her completely. It's nothing...she kept telling herself...maybe that swearing was just that kid's music from across the street...but as she looked across the deserted street to the lightness house she knew better...

At the thought that an unwanted visitor was exploring her property Eva instantly retreated back to her dark house that greeted her with a wave of warmth and confort. "I'm just tirered...yep! That's all just tired...in desperate need of a good night's sleep...sleep...yes sleep equals good..." She instantly went into defensive mode with her home and beginning checking all doors, locks and window within her sight until her reached the kitchen where she was shocked, horrified and alarmed to encounter the sight of someone sitting in the carefully placed patio furniture that she so greatly loved right outside her front door. Before she realized it a small shriek escaped from her lips. Not loud, but obviously loud enough for whoever was sitting there to realize her presents and to look up at her from his seat and pounce in the air quicker than light. Whoever it was disappeared into the unsuspecting shadows without hesitation. The action startled Eva so much that she stumbled back on the tiled floor (and tripping over herself) landed firmly on her backside and upon reentering found herself repeating some of the profanity she had heard earlier.

Instead of getting up right away she simply scooted over until the point where she was leaning up against the cool side of her humming refrigerator. She pulled her legs to her chest and wrapped her arms tightly around herself in hopes of stopping the shaking that had overcoming her exhausted body.

"OK...that definitely wasn't just my imagination..." She whispered to herself. Eva began rubbing her arms, hoping the small action would give her something to concentrate on instead of the pounding of the heart beneath her chest. She was scared...there was no doubt about that...but the thing that was freaking her out the most wasn't the possibility of someone trying to break into her home...it was the familiar way the intruder had moved...his shape...even his shadow seemed like it knew her from somewhere. She gasped at the possibility but immediately felt a sense of self-loathing at the thought.

"No!" She whispered to herself clamping her eyes shut to avoid the picture. "I won't do this to myself! He's dead, gone, never coming back, besides... lots of other mutants have those types of abilities...maybe someone was just looking for some money to get their hands on and they were hoping no one was home...yeah...thats what happened...it wasn't him Eva...it wasn't him..."

She muttered this and other similar sayings over and over to herself in an attempt to rid herself of the thought. But as the night wore on she still couldn't move herself from the spot she rested in...maybe he would come back...and she couldn't rid herself of the thought-the possibility...

But no...he was dead and gone...at least that's what she told herself as the bitter tears began falling down her cheeks...

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Hey everyone there you go chapter 7 all finished! Kind of a short one I know but as I mentioned earlier I'm rearranging my schedule so that I'll have more "writing-time" to add to my day. Look for another chapter soon! 


	9. Explanations

Yes, yes I know it's been so long since I've updated that I should be ashamed of myself! Well don't worry because I am! Don't worry loyal fans I will get back in gear! Anyway, enjoy this chapter promise the next one will be filled with fantastic romance! (Sorry getting a little over dramatic)

VXVXVX

"Hey Mort!"

"Mort?"

"...Mort get your ass down here!"

The command stuttered into Mortimer's brain like some unwanted song that gets stuck in your head. Normally he would of shouted some type of lame comeback at this request but his back and shoulders ached too much to comply and he chose to keep any words he spoke that day to be brief and plentiful. After the night he had just experienced he wasn't about to let his temper get the best of him, he simply wanted to do his job while having the most splendid daydreams about seeing his ladylove the night before...even if she hadn't exactly seen him.  
He climbed out from behind the old van he was changing the oil in to climb out of the back stairs of the garage and down to the supplies center where the annoyed cries from his coworker was coming from. As soon as he entered the room he could hear a distant laughter that echoed in the dark, windowless storage space: a laughter that he instantly recognized as on of his friends.

"did you go deaf on me or something?" He heard the playful accusation from on of the stair facilities from up above.

"I was calling you for five minutes before you got your lazy ass moving. What's with you today dude?" Said his mediocre friend with slight laughter in his voice as he shelved large boxes in their proper place. But upon not hearing anything from Mort he turned around thinking that perhaps his friend had left the storage room annoyed with him for his remark, what he saw instead was Mort sitting Indian style on the solid concrete of the storage room with his head leaning against the iron board of the register formatters with his eyes closed totally obviousness to his calling out.

"Yo Mort you OK?" He asked again which appeared to suck Mortimer out of his stupor

"Huh? Oh yeah just freaken fine. Just didn't sleep all that great is all..." Mortimer got up and retreated to the truck slight outside and continued the helpful job of putting away some odds and ends that they might need for later use.

"Yeah right." Said Luke as his eyes scanned the clipboard for what they were loading next. But when he eventually looked up he noticed a worn down look in Mortimer that he hadn't really noticed before something different than just your average tiredness and he broke out into a full mouthed grin when he realized what the problem was.

"OK man...what's her name?" He said as he rubbed the small hairs growing on his chin. "Let's see is it that Leslie chick from that club we hit a few weeks ago...no...probably not her...oh wait is it Brian's half sister who was here last 't take her eyes off you...althought I can't imagination why-"

His ramblings were cut short by an impatient Mortimer who was quickly feeling a headache growing in the back of his skull. "What the blood hell are you talking about?" He gritted with his teeth clamped shut, while he continued to work hoping Luke wouldn't notice the nervous look he had in his face.

"I was hoping you could tell me man! Come on who is she? Do I know here? What's she look like? How come you've never talked about her before?" He asked with the excitement obvious in his voice now following Mortimer foot for foot behind as he worked hoping the annoying move would help the interrogation.

"There's no one Luke OK! I just had a rough night and-" Mortimer subconsciously rubbed the back of his neck as he remembered Eva gutter pipes that were particularly painful when you fell on them from an angel that would-

"Yeah right man come on! You have that whole 'going crazy' look that only a woman can provide! I know that look dude I've experienced it far too many times!...But you don't get that kind of look...ohhhhh she must be really special!" He said in a mocking tone that gave Mortimer a slight reminder about why he used to be an antihuman terrorist.

It was because of this remark that Mortimer felt the need to set Luke straight (even if he was absolutely correct) So he continued with his work but not absent minded enough to retreat:

"Not nearly as special as you Lucas my darling!" He laughed out loud at the look of disgust that came from his friends who was now stepping away from him but he too was smiling.

"Look Luke...there is someone-but I have to be realistic and she's way out of my league. I- I don't want to waste my time on something that's not going to go anywhere..." He lied hoping the cold answer would suffice his noisy friend.

"Yeah I've been there buddy." Luke stated with a sigh as he slapped Mortimer on the shoulder making him flinch slight from the bruises that had previously settled there.

The conversation seemed to end there and the two continued the job of sorting and taking inventory of everything they had sold not sold and need to sell but as the hour wore on Mortimer felt the familiar need for food grumbling in his stomach and he realized the afternoon was quickly coming and going.

"Hey man I'm gonna go out a brag some grub you want anything?" Asked Luke as he put his jacket on and headed for the backdoor.

"No I'm good." He lied again. Somehow the hunger felt good in his stomach. Like something he could control despite the inconvenience that came with it. Little things like hunger, sore shoulders, and annoying friends were just friendly reminders to Mortimer that this time last year he was ready to die for some stupid cause that held no meaning and more than willing to die... For cruel people who he naively enough had once called his teammates. So as Luke and the others left for the hour of lunch he stay in the cellar somehow content to just be alone with the darkness and the dusty smell that waved in from the oldest pieces, and parts that never did find a home. He retreated to his previous spot on the floor and sighed as he rested his back now realizing just how sore he really was. What had he been thinking anyway going down her house like that?  
He knew what he had been thinking...he was trying to wade off a nightmare...Luckily he got his wish when she walked out of her house to inspect the noise he had intentionally made. He nearly fell over at the beauty she held against him...naturally he hadn't been wearing his watch...didn't think of it before he had left. But he was almost grateful he had forgotten it actually gave him a reliable excuse to not actually go down there and talk to her. It gave him an excuse to stay in the shadows for just a little longer and remain the observer than he knew he was deep down.  
She seemed shocked to see him, and when he put himself in her shoes he couldn't really blame her. But her facial expression seemed to relax as they stared at each other a little longer and he didn't know what he would have done if that car hadn't come back and knocked him back to earth. He admitted although he could have liked to be a little more quitter about it because by the time he fell and got himself back up again she was gone and the living room light had been shut off....

He assumed she had gone back to bed and therefore when an unspeakable pain reached the inside of his boot he figured there would be nothing wrong with having a seat on the other side of the house in her patio furniture just to see if glass had indeed seeped though his boot. He was wrong luckily but the relief passed over quickly when he heard a slight screech from the window in front of him. That was when he saw her again and her face...eched in fear was enough to break his heart...he knew he was the cause of that emotion that dripped off her face begging her to be forgiving in the portal of his own mind he retreated to the roof once more and jumped like he had never jumped before...

The lights eventually shut themselves off but he had so wished in the back of his mind that he could have stayed near her a little longer...so he did. Mortimer had settled himself on the roof and enjoyed the landscape of her small yard and the view it caused him to witness. He felt her nearby and he could tell she hadn't gone to bed yet. God what he would have given to of held her in his arms and made sure she was safe and real. But the part he told Luke about being realistic wasn't a lie because at this point even if he did want to reveal who he truly was it wouldn't make a difference...she was engaged now and he could smell another male in the house at the time...a thought that made his skin crawl and his fists clench in furry.  
He had to be realistic...women like her don't want to spend the rest of their lives with mechanical mutants who rely keeping their identities secret by wearing some fancy science saving watch...too much time had passed for them to be together. Besides he told himself she probably doesn't even think about me...remember me.  
The thought made him instantly depressed and he knew that no matter how hard he tried he was never going to totally rid his mind of the woman known as Eva Johnson.

The sound of a bell ringing in the waiting room alerted him to the presents of a customer and although that wasn't his normal gig he figured as long as no one else was around he might as well deal with who required their services. So he walked back out of the dusty cellar and was greeted with the slight of warm light coming from the office windows and the stench of something similar to coffee that Brian had attempted to make earlier that day but all theses things were familiar to him...the only truly foreign thing that really shocked him was a lovely young woman standing in the center of the waiting room. ...He couldn't believe his eyes but he instantly knew he was staring at the face of his current obsession. 


End file.
